The Trick to Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

The month of October brings with it the promise of all things pumpkin, and then concludes with the spooky (and sweet) Halloween holiday. Of course, the Jack-o-lantern is an integral part of Halloween decor, and one of the best parts about carving those pumpkins is roasting pumpkin seeds afterward! If you're on the hunt for a trick to roasting pumpkin seeds, look no further. Thomas Joseph explains the best way to do this in the video above.

First, take a sharp knife to carve off the top of the pumpkin. You can get creative with your carving here! Once the top is carved off, to remove the seeds, use a sharp-sided spoon. Scoop the seeds into a bowl. If you've opened up a pumpkin before you know that the seeds are pretty loaded with orange pulp. Instead of separating the pulp from the seeds, Joseph recommends that you work with the seeds as they are! The pulp won't even matter ultimately.

Next, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil and a half a teaspoon of coarse salt to the seeds. Stir the mixture of oil, salt and seeds before placing it on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Spread the seeds into one flat and even layer.

Stir the seeds every 15 minutes until the seeds are golden brown and the pumpkin pulp has caramelized. This could last around 50 to 60 minutes. Once the seeds have roasted, just pull them away from the pulp. Enjoy these as snacks or as a garnish for soups or salads.